Question

Which sentence correctly uses a hyphen in a compound modifier?

A.) My little sister was well-behaved throughout the entire ride.

B.) The supplies that you brought were much-needed.

C.) A newly-married couple moved into the apartment across the hall.

D.) Enrique’s dream is to become a full-time singer.

Answer 1

The answer is: D.) Enrique’s dream is to become a full-time singer.

Compound modifiers like full-time can contain two terms joined by a hyphen so that both function as an adjective. The use of the hyphen occurs to avoid confusion or ambivalence when the words can be considered individual modifiers or nouns. For example, the word full on its own could be understood as filled or satiated in hunger.

The rest of the choices are incorrect and do not need to be separated by a hyphen because it is not necessary to clarify the role of the words.